Dave, maybe you should start out with walking rather than running and ease into it so you don't hurt yourself. You probably need to expand your lungs. You know what's good for that, swimming.

I took swimming as one of my PE's in college and for the first time I could actually run around the track easily. I think it's because of holding my breath swimming under water, it expanded my lungs making it easier for me to run without huffing and puffing.

I saw this lady in the pool at the gym the other day and she had this vest thing on. It's like she was running but in the pool. The vest helped keep her upright, but her head above water, in the deeper end. I bet you would like that better than "running". Plus, like someone else said, it's easier on your joints but still really good cardio to burn calories.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

Well I walk everywhere coz I dont have a car.

So I walk like forty mins there and back to the pool twice a week, and swim for an hour twice a week...then I run round the block once a day...its all I can manage

1. Not having enough fluids in the body - drink more water.2. Lack of potassium - eat more apricots, bananas, cantaloupes, dried figs, mango, orange, papaya, raisins, etc. Here's a nice list: http://www.essense-of-life.com/morei...htm#potasfoods3. Lack of calcium - this and water are responsible for transport of potassium in the body. At least 400mg twice a day is recommended (the body can only use 400mg at a time so be sure it's twice a day - best times for absorption are before sleep and when you first wake up.)4. You're pregnant - call the Guinness Book of World Records.

"Stitch" is silly Englosh talk for a cramp. Dave: dig you fist into your side wherever you get the cramp & just keeping going. It'll pass.

a stich is not cramp. a stich is when your body is telling you that there are no extra red blood cells to carry the blood around, you are using all the cells your body has, the only thing you can do is push through it. The pain will soon stop and you will be able to carry on running.

if a stich is your only problem running dave youy are doing well. Push through the pain and it will stop.

I have always had really bad asthma and allergies both of which makes a lot of cardio training very difficult because i get short of breath very quick. But the more you do the training the better it gets. I would get "stitches" quite often and my boxing coach would just yell..."slow down, don't break down" So in accordance with what others have said, when you feel it hitting you hard and you want to quit, just take a minute and slow your pace and get yourself together and then give it a hard go once more. You can succeed at this, but without sacrafice there is no gain.